Typewriter for use with a drafting straight edge

ABSTRACT

A printing assembly including a support means supporting a rack and adapted to be attached to a drafting straight edge. The rack extends through a head assembly and is engaged by a pinion gear for moving the head assembly along the rack. The head assembly is connected through links to a carriage which supports two longitudinally extending rows of type characters. The head means is moved between a raised position and a lowered position and includes a hammer pin for engaging one of the type characters to cause it to print when in the lowered position. Normally the head means prints the characters in one row but includes a handle on the links interconnecting the head means and the carriage to shift the position of the links so that upon movement of the head means to the lowered position, a character in the other row will be printed.

United States Patent Jones 1 Oct. 24, 1972 [54] TYPEWRITER FOR USE WITHA DRAFTING STRAIGHT EDGE 221 Filed: Dec. 18,1969

211 App]. No.: 886,308

[52] U.S. Cl. ..197/2, 197/187, 197/190, 197/60 [51] Int. Cl. ..B4lj3/38 [58] FieldofSearch ..l97/2,6.1,6,6.7,1;l01/18, 101/35,42,44,45

2,428,378 10/1947 Mossbach ..197/2 2,367,313 l/l945 Reynolds et a1...197/2 481,855 8/1892 English ..197/2 X 479,085 7/1892 Beauregard et a1..197/2 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Ralph T.Rader Att0rneyMcGlynn, Reising, Milton & Ethington [57] ABSTRACT Aprinting assembly including a support means supporting a rack andadapted to be attached to a drafting straight edge. The rack extendsthrough a head assembly and is engaged by a pinion gear for moving thehead assembly along the rack. The head assembly is connected throughlinks to a carriage which supports two longitudinally extending rows oftype characters. The head means is moved between a raised position and alowered position and includes a hammer pin for engaging one of the typecharacters to cause it to print when in the lowered position. Normallythe head means prints the characters in one row but includes a handle onthe links interconnecting the head means and the carriage to shift theposition of the links so that upon movement of .the head means to thelowered position, a character in the other row will be printed.

15 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEUBBI 24 m .3. 700,086

SHEET 3 BF 3 I 5429.2] INVENTOR' TO R NEYS TYPEWRITER FOR USE A DRAFIINGSTRAIGHT EDGE This invention relates to a printing assembly of the typesuitable for use on a drafting table for printing various charactersonto the surface of a sheet drawings.

Practically without exception in all drafting situations, the draftsmanis required to utilize lettering on any drawing. It is not uncommon thatalthough'a draftsman may make beautiful drawings, his letteringcapabilities are very poor.

Accordingly, it is an object and .feature of this invention to provide aprinting assembly which may be positioned over the surface of a sheet ofdrawings for printing the necessary characters thereon.

' In correlation with the foregoing object and feature, it is anotherobject and featureof this invention to provide a printing assembly whichincludes a support means for positioning the assembly over a surface tobe printed with carriage means for resting on the surface and supportingfirst and second longitudinally extending rows of type characters andhead means operatively interconnecting the support means and thecarriage means for shifting the carriage means in a directiontransversely of the rows of type characters to move the rows into andout of position for printing while simultaneously moving a typecharacter in the row in position for printing into printing engagementwith the surface.

In correlation with the foregoing objects and features, it is anotherobject and feature of this invention to provide such a printing assemblywherein the first and second rows of type characters are adjustablelongitudinally of the carriage means and wherein there is includedindexing means operatively interconnecting the support means and thehead means for adjusting the position of the head means and the carriagemeans longitudinally of the support means.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will bereadily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by referenceto the following detailed description when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the instant inventionshown attached to a drafting straight edge;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the carriage means with the linkage means forconnection to the head means being shown in cross section;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the carriage means ofFIG. 2 to show the interior thereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially alongline 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the instantinvention and showing the head means in the raised or non-printingposition;

FIG. 6 is a view taken substantially along line 6-6 of FIG. 1 and is aview similar to FIG. 5 but showing the head means in the lowered orprinting position;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the linkage meansinterconnecting the head means and the carriage means in a differentposition;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but like FIG. 7 shows the linkagemeans in a different position to effect the printing of a character in adifferent row than 2 printed when the assembly is in the positionillustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view takensubstantially along line 9-9 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of reduced scale takensubstantially along line 1010 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of reduced scale takensubstantially along line 1111 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially alongline 12-12 of FIG. 1 and showing a stylus in position for adjusting theposition of the type characters; and

FIG. 13 is a side view of the stylus utilized to select a character forprinting.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, a printing assemblyconstructed in ac cordance with the instant invention is generally shownat 20.

The printing assembly 20 includes a support means for positioning theassembly 20 over a surface 22 to be printed. The support means includesthe bracket 24 with extensions 26 bolted thereto and extending forwardlytherefrom. The support means also includes means comprising a generallyU-shaped member 28 for attachment to a drafting straight edge 30. The U-shaped member 28 is preferably made of a yieldable plastic for snappinginto clamping engagement with opposite extremities of the straight edge30, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 8. It will be appreciated that theU- shaped yieldable member 28 may take various configurations dependingupon the configuration of the drafting straight edge 30, there beinginuse approximately four or five cross sectional configurations ofstraight edges which are used in the drafting profession. A portion ofthe U-shaped member 28 extends through a slot in the bracket 24 and hasa bore extending therethrough through which a pin 32 is inserted toretain the bracket 24 to the U-shaped member 30.

The printing assembly 20 also includes a carriage means, generallyindicated at 34, for resting on the surface 22 and supporting firstandsecond longitudinally extending parallel rows of type characters, therows being indicated at 36 and 38, respectively, in FIGS. 3, 9, and 12.

The assembly 20 also includes head means, generally indicated at 40,operatively interconnecting the support means and the carriage means 34for shifting the carriage means 34 in a direction transversely of therows 36 and 38 to move the rows 36 and 38 into and out of position forprinting and for moving a type character in the row in position forprinting into printing engagement with the surface 22. In other words,the carriage means 34, along with the rows 36 and 38 which it carries,moves or shifts in a direction which is transverse to the longitudinalextent of the rows 36 and 38. 1 An indexing means, generally shown at,42in FIG. 10, operatively interconnects the head means 40 and the supportmeans for moving the head means 40 and the carriage means 34 relative tothe support means in a direction parallel to the rows 36 and 38. Theindexing means 42 includes a rack 44 having round pins 46 extending fromthe ends thereof so as to be rotatably supported by the extensions 26,of the support means. Thus,.the indexing means 42 is rotatably supportedby the support means for rotation relative to the support means aboutthe axis of the pins 46. The axis of the pins 46 is parallel to the rows36 and 38 so that the head means 40 may be rotated about the axis of thepins 46 between the printing position illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 8,and 9 and the non-printing position illustrated in FIGS. and 7.

The head means 40 includes the housing defined by the upper and lowerinterconnected plates 48 and 50. The plates 48 and 50 are interconnectedby bolts 51. The rack 44 is retained in and extends through the housing.The indexing means further includes a pinion gear 52 having a shaftextending from either side thereof and into the respective plates 48 and50 of the housing so as to be rotatably supported by the housing. Thepinion gear 52 engages and coacts with the rack 44. The indexing meansalso includes actuation means comprising a drive gear 54, a shaft 56,and a knob 58, for manually rotating the pinion gear 52 to move the headmeans 40 along the rack 44. The drive gear 54 is rotatably supported bythe housing and the shaft 56 extends from the drive gear 54 and throughthe plate-48 of the housing and the knob 58 is disposed on the distalend of the shaft 56 for rotating the latter.

The head means 40 also includes linkage means, defined by the first linkmeans 60 and the second link means 62, operatively interconnecting thehousing of the head means 40 and the carriage means 34 for performingthe shifting of the carriage means 34 as the head means 40 moves betweenthe printing and nonprinting positions. The first link means 60 ispivotally connected at a first extremity to the housing by a pin 64which extends through flanges 65 of the upper plate 48 of the housing.The second link means 62 comprises a pair of spaced links each pivotallyconnected at a first extremity to the carriage means 34 by pins 66 whichextend through bifurcated ends and through coupling members 67 whichextend upwardly from the carriage means 34. The links of the second linkmeans 62 are pivotally'connected at the second extremities thereof bythe pins 68 to the second extremities of the link means 60. Theextremities of the link means 60-and 62 are best illustrateddescriptively when viewed in side elevation as in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8.In actual construction, however, the link means 60 comprises an integralmember having downturned ends to be received by the bifurcated secondextremities of the link means 62 and through which the pins 68 extend.The member defining link means 60 then extends inwardly toward the headmeans40 and then through an upward bend to extend upwardly to receivethe pin 64 and then across the upper portion of the head means 40, asbest illustrated in FIG. 4. The link means 60 includes a handle portion60, and consequently the handle 69, in a direction away '7 to theprinting position illustrated in FIG. 8, the axis of the pins 68 willmove about the axis of the pins 46 and will, consequently, cause thecarriage means 34 to shift downwardly as is best illustrated bycomparing FIGS. 7 and 8 since the axis of the pins 64 are at a lowerposition as viewed in FIG. 8 than as viewed in FIG. 7. As will becomemore clear upon completion of the total description, the movement of thehead means 40 from the position illustratedin FIG. 7 to the positionillustrated in FIG. 8 will affect the printing of a character in the row36. If it is desired, however, to affect-the printing of a character inthe row 38, the handle 69 is grasped along with the knob 58 to move thefirst link means to the position illustrated in FIG. 5 so that when thehead means 40 is rotated to the printing position illustrated in FIG. 6a character in the row 38 is printed. When the handle 69 is moved to theposition illustrated in FIG. 5 the axis of the pins 68 is positionedcloser to the axis of the pins 46 when in the printing positionillustrated in FIG. 6 so that the carriage means 34 is shifted a greaterdistance upwardly. Thus the handle 69 defines an actuatable meansmovable between first and second positions for aligning a type characterin one of the rows 36 and 38 for printing when in a first position (suchas that shown in FIG. 8) and for aligning a type character in the otherof the rows 36 and 38 when in a second position (such as that shown'inFIG. 6).

The head means 40 includes a hammer comprising the pin 74 for engagingand moving one of the type characters in one of the rows 36 and 38 asthe head means 40 moves to the printing position illustrated in FIGS. 6and 8. The pin 74 is yieldably supported by the housing for yieldingwhile engaging one of the type characters of the rows 36 and 38. The pin74 is-slidably supported in the plate 50 of the housing and a bandspring 76 reacts between the pin 74 and the. housing to yieldably urgethe pin 74 out of the housing. In this manner, a relatively constantforce is applied to a type character in one of the rows 36 and 38 by thespring 76.

Thus, the hammer pin 74 will engage a type character in either row 36 or38 as the knob 58 is grasped to move the head means 40 from thenon-printing position to the printing position depending upon theposition of the first link means 60, i.e., whether the handle 69 isgrasped and moved while moving the head means 40 to the printingposition. As illustrated in FIG.

9 the head means is in the printing position and-the handle 69 has beengrasped to move the first link means 60 to the position illustrated inFIG. 6 so that hammer pin 74 engages and has moved a type character inthe row 38 into printing engagement with the surface 22.

There is also included a detent means coacting with the pinion gear 52for releasably retaining the pinion gear 52 in rotary positions alongthe rack 44 which correspond to the distance between immediatelyadjacent type characters as they are printed (i.e. character spacing).The detent means includes a cylindrical member or roller 80 whichengages the periphery of the pinion gear 52. The roller 80 is supportedon a detent plate 82 by a pin, rivet, or the like. The detent plate 82is slidably supported in a recession 84 in the lower plate 50 above thepinion gear 52 and the drive gear 54. The detent plate 82 has anelongated slot 86 therein surrounding the shaft extending from thepinion 52 and the shaft 56 to allow movement of the detent plate 82. Thedetent plate 82 has an upturned flange portion 88 at the forward endthereof and a biasing means comprising the .spring 90 and reacts betweenthe upper plate 48 of the housing and the detent plate 82 to urge theroller 80 into engagement with the periphery of the pinion gear. Thus,as the knob 58 is rotated to rotate the drive gear 54, which in turnrotates the pinion 52, the roller 80 will snap into engagement betweenadjacent teeth. The distance the head means 40 moves as the roller 80moves from between two teeth to the next position, is a distance equalto the distance between characters to be printed on the surface 22. Itwill be noted that the pinion gear 52 engages half of the rack 44 withthe other half of the pinion gear 52 being exposed for engagement withthe roller 80 of the detent means.

The carriage means 34 includes a casing defined by the lower member 92and the upper member 94. The upper and lower members 92 and 94 areconnected together as by the fastening elements 95. As best illustratedin FIGS. 9 and 12, the lower member 92 has a raised central portion 96.

The carriage means 34 also includes a slide 97 supporting the rows oftype characters 36 and 38. The slide 97 is slidably supported by theupper and lower members 92 and 94 of the casing for movement relativethereto in a direction parallel to the rows 36 and 38 to selectivelyposition the type characters in a position for printing.

The casing has a slot 98 extending therealong and the slide 97 has aselector portion 99 disposed in the slot 98 and exposed to the exteriorof the casing. The selector portion 99 has rows of characters thereoncorresponding to the type characters on the rows 36 and 38. The casingalso has a pointer 100 as illustrated in FIG. 2 adjacent the slide 97for indicating the characters on the selector portion 99 correspondingto the type characters disposed in position for printing. There are aseries of holes 101 disposed along the selector portion 99 of the slide97 and aligned with the characters thereon. A receiving means in thecasing defined by the hole 102 in the offset portion 96 of the lowermember 92, as illustrated in FIG. 9, is disposed immediately below theselector portion 99 for receiving a stylus 103 which extends through oneof the holes 101 for positioning the desired type character for printingthereof. In other words, a stylus 103 is inserted into one of the holes101 adjacent the character desired and the slide 97 is moved to theproper position by the stylus 103 where the end of the stylus 103 willdrop into the hole 102, which could be a dimple. Thus the stylus 103 ismanually utilized to select the desired character and is removed fromthe assembly during the printing of that character, i.e., the stylus 103is completely independent of the printing assembly 20.

Thereis also included means comprising the leaf spring 104 to coact withserrations 105 in the slide 97 for aligning and retaining the slide 97in the selected position at least during movement of the head means 40to the printing position. As an alternative, the slide 97 may containnotches aligned with the characters and into which a wedge tooth or thelike extending from the head means 40 may pass to precisely align thetype character desired. The casing of the carriage means 34 alsoincludes an opening 107 in the lower plate 92 and above the surface 22to be printed for allowing movement of a type character therethrough bythe hammer pin 74, as illustrated in FIG. 9. The casing also includesanother opening 108 centrally thereof and in the upper member 94 forreceiving and allowing the hammer pin 74 to extend therethrough toengage a type character in one of the rows 36 and 38.

The casing of the carriage means 34 also includes an indicator'meansgenerally indicated at 110 for indicating the area on the surface 22 tobe printed when the head means 40 is in the non-printing position asillustrated in FIG. 5 and 7. In other words, the indicator means 110 isnormally disposed over the line being printed when the head means 40 isin the non-printing position and as the head means 40 is moved to theprinting position, the indicator means 110 shifts downwardly or awayfrom the support means and the letter to be printed is printed in thearea previously shown in the slot between the pointers of the indicatormeans 110.

The rows of type characters 36 and 38 are secured at the ends thereof tothe slide 97 and are preferably made of a material impregnated with inkwith the characters disposed on the side facing the surface 22.Preferably, brass backing strips are disposed on the opposite side ofthe rows 36 and 38 and are engaged and flexed by the hammer pin 74.Also, and in the preferred embodiment, a lubricant strip is disposedbetween the rows 36 and 38 to facilitate relative movement therebetween.Preferably the rows 36 and 38 containing the type characters are of thematerial sold under the trademark PORLON by Johnson's Wax Company.

As an alternative, an elongated belt having type characters thereon withan associated ink reservoir adjacent the opening 107 may be utilized insubstitution for the rows 36 and 38.

The lower member 92 of the carriage means 34 includes dimples 1 15 asillustrated in FIG. 4 for maintaining the lower plate a very smalldistance above the surface 22 to prevent smearing as the carriage means34 is shifted between the printing and non-printing positions.

In brief review, the operation of the printing assembly is that it isattached to a drafting straight edge 30 and assumes the non-use positionillustrated in F IG. 7. The indicating means 110 is aligned on the linewherein characters are to be printed on the surface 22. The stylus 103is inserted into one of the holes 101 adjacent the character desired tobe printed. The stylus is then moved to move the slide 97 in thedirection wherein the desired character is moved beneath the indicator100 at which point the stylus 103 will fall into the opening 102. Thespring 104 will retain the slide 97 in the selected position. The tworows of characters on the selector portion 99 of the slide 97 correspondto the type characters on the rows 36 and 38. If it is desired to printa characterin the row 36, the knob 58 is grasped without grasping thehandle 69, and the head means 40 is rotated from the non-printingposition illustrated in FIG. 7 to the printing position illustrated inFIG. 8 wherein the hammer pin 74 engages a character in the row 36 tomove the type character into engagement with the surface 22. If it isdesired to print a character in the row 38, the handle 69 is grasped atthe same time that the knob 58 is grasped to move the handle 69 towardthe knob 58; thus, moving the axis of the pin 68 closer to the axis ofthe pin 46 so that when the head means 40 is rotated from thenon-printing position illustrated in FIG. to the printing positionillustrated in FIG. 6, the hammer pin 74 will engage a type character inthe row 38., After the character is printed on the surface 22, the knob58 is rotated to move the head means 40 and the carriage means 34 intoposition for printing the next character.

If it is desired to rapidly shift the head and carriage a considerabledistance, such may be accomplished without rotating the knob 58 bymerely manually moving the detent plate 82 to move the cylindricalroller out of engagement with the periphery of the pinion gear 52.

It will also be noticed that the entire assembly is symmetrical about acenter line passing transversely therethrough so that it is identical tothe right or left of that center line as viewed in FIG. 1 so that theassembly may be operated very satisfactorily by either a righthanded orleft-handed person.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is tobe understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to bein the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. a A printing assembly comprising; support means for positioning theassembly over a surface to be printed; carriage means including a casingfor resting on the surface and a slide supporting at least onelongitudinally extending row of type characters; said slide beingslidably supported by said casing for movement relative thereto in adirection parallel to said row to position a type character therein forprinting; and head means operatively interconnecting said support meansand said carriage means for shifting said carriage means toward and awayfrom said support means by sliding it over the surface in a directionwhich is transverse to the longitudinal extent of said row shifting ofsaid carriage away from said support means thereby moving said row from'a first nonprinting position to a second printing position, andincluding means for moving a type character in said row into printingengagement with the surface said row being shiftable to said firstnon-printing position after the printing of each character.

'2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including indexing meansoperatively interconnecting said head means and said support means formoving said head meansand said carriage means relative to said supportmeans in a direction parallel to said row.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said indexing meanssupports said head means for movement relative to said support meansbetween printing and non-printing positions.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said head means includeslinkage means operatively connected to said carriage means forperforming said shifting of said carriage means as said head means movesbetween said printing and non-printing positions.

5. An. assembly as set forth in in claim 4 including indicator means onsaid casing for indicating the area on the surface to be printed whensaid head means is in said non-printing position.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said head means includesa housing; and said linkage means includes first link meanspivotallyconnected at a'first extremity to said housing, and second link meanspivotally connected at a first extremity to said carriage means and at asecond extremity to the second extremity of said first link means.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said indexing means isrotatably supported by said support means for rotation relative theretoabout an axis parallel to said rows so that said housing may be rotatedabout said axis between said printing and non-printing positions.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said head means includesa hammer for engaging and moving one of said type characters as saidhousing moves to said printing position.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said hammer is yieldablysupported by said housing for yielding while engaging one of said typecharacters.

10. An assemblyias set forth in claim 9 wherein said casing has a slotextending therealong and said slide has a selector portion disposed insaid slot and exposed to the exterior of said casing, said selectorportion having at least one row of characters thereon corresponding tosaid type characters, said casing having an opening therein above thesurface to be printed for allowing movement of a type charactertherethrough by said hammer, said casing having a pointer adjacent saidslide for indicating characters thereon corresponding to type charactersdisposed over said opening at the various positions of said slide.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 including indicator means onsaid casing for indicating the area on the surface to be printed whensaid head means is in said non-printing position.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 1 wherein said support meansincludes means for attachment to a straight edge.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said indexing meansincludes a rack rotatably supported by said support means and extendingthrough said housing, a pinion gear rotatably supported by said housingand engaging said rack, and actuation means for manually rotating saidpinion gear to move said head means along said rack.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 including detent means coactingwith said pinion gear for releaseably retaining said pinion gear inrotary positions along said rack which correspond to the distancebetween immediately adjacent type characters.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein; said actuation meansincludes a drive gear rotatably supplate to urge said cylindrical memberinto engagement with the periphery of said pinion gear; said hammercomprises a pin slidably supported by said housing, and a band springreacting between said pin and said housing to yieldably urge said pinout of said housing; said first link means includes a handle extendingfrom said first extremity thereof and adjacent said knob so that saidfirst link means may be pivoted thereby; and including stop meansdisposed on said housing for limiting movement of said first link means,first spring means urging said first link means and said handle awayfrom said knob, second spring means urging said second extremity of saidsecond link means away from said carriage means, a series of holes alongsaid selector portion of said slide and aligned with said charactersthereon, a receiving means in said casing immediately below saidselector portion for receiving a stylus extending through one of saidholes for positioning the desired type character over said opening insaid casing, and means for aligning and retaining said slide in theselected position at least during movement of said head means to saidprinting position.

1. A printing assembly comprising; support means for positioning tHeassembly over a surface to be printed; carriage means including a casingfor resting on the surface and a slide supporting at least onelongitudinally extending row of type characters; said slide beingslidably supported by said casing for movement relative thereto in adirection parallel to said row to position a type character therein forprinting; and head means operatively interconnecting said support meansand said carriage means for shifting said carriage means toward and awayfrom said support means by sliding it over the surface in a directionwhich is transverse to the longitudinal extent of said row shifting ofsaid carriage away from said support means thereby moving said row froma first nonprinting position to a second printing position, andincluding means for moving a type character in said row into printingengagement with the surface said row being shiftable to said firstnon-printing position after the printing of each character.
 2. Anassembly as set forth in claim 1 including indexing means operativelyinterconnecting said head means and said support means for moving saidhead means and said carriage means relative to said support means in adirection parallel to said row.
 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2wherein said indexing means supports said head means for movementrelative to said support means between printing and non-printingpositions.
 4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said headmeans includes linkage means operatively connected to said carriagemeans for performing said shifting of said carriage means as said headmeans moves between said printing and non-printing positions.
 5. Anassembly as set forth in in claim 4 including indicator means on saidcasing for indicating the area on the surface to be printed when saidhead means is in said non-printing position.
 6. An assembly as set forthin claim 4 wherein said head means includes a housing; and said linkagemeans includes first link means pivotally connected at a first extremityto said housing, and second link means pivotally connected at a firstextremity to said carriage means and at a second extremity to the secondextremity of said first link means.
 7. An assembly as set forth in claim6 wherein said indexing means is rotatably supported by said supportmeans for rotation relative thereto about an axis parallel to said rowsso that said housing may be rotated about said axis between saidprinting and non-printing positions.
 8. An assembly as set forth inclaim 7 wherein said head means includes a hammer for engaging andmoving one of said type characters as said housing moves to saidprinting position.
 9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein saidhammer is yieldably supported by said housing for yielding whileengaging one of said type characters.
 10. An assembly as set forth inclaim 9 wherein said casing has a slot extending therealong and saidslide has a selector portion disposed in said slot and exposed to theexterior of said casing, said selector portion having at least one rowof characters thereon corresponding to said type characters, said casinghaving an opening therein above the surface to be printed for allowingmovement of a type character therethrough by said hammer, said casinghaving a pointer adjacent said slide for indicating characters thereoncorresponding to type characters disposed over said opening at thevarious positions of said slide.
 11. An assembly as set forth in claim10 including indicator means on said casing for indicating the area onthe surface to be printed when said head means is in said non-printingposition.
 12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said supportmeans includes means for attachment to a straight edge.
 13. An assemblyas set forth in claim 11 wherein said indexing means includes a rackrotatably supported by said support means and extending through saidhousing, a pinion gear rotatably supported by said housing and engagingsaid rack, and actuation means for manually rOtating said pinion gear tomove said head means along said rack.
 14. An assembly as set forth inclaim 13 including detent means coacting with said pinion gear forreleaseably retaining said pinion gear in rotary positions along saidrack which correspond to the distance between immediately adjacent typecharacters.
 15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein; saidactuation means includes a drive gear rotatably supported by saidhousing, a shaft extending from said drive gear, a knob disposed on theend of said shaft for rotating the latter; said detent means includes acylindrical member engaging the periphery of said pinion gear, a detentplate slidably supported by said housing and supporting said cylindricalmember, and biasing means reacting between said housing and said detentplate to urge said cylindrical member into engagement with the peripheryof said pinion gear; said hammer comprises a pin slidably supported bysaid housing, and a band spring reacting between said pin and saidhousing to yieldably urge said pin out of said housing; said first linkmeans includes a handle extending from said first extremity thereof andadjacent said knob so that said first link means may be pivoted thereby;and including stop means disposed on said housing for limiting movementof said first link means, first spring means urging said first linkmeans and said handle away from said knob, second spring means urgingsaid second extremity of said second link means away from said carriagemeans, a series of holes along said selector portion of said slide andaligned with said characters thereon, a receiving means in said casingimmediately below said selector portion for receiving a stylus extendingthrough one of said holes for positioning the desired type characterover said opening in said casing, and means for aligning and retainingsaid slide in the selected position at least during movement of saidhead means to said printing position.